Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Spotsylvania County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

County Information

Description

Spotsylvania County is located midway between the Nation’s capital of Washington, D.C. and the Commonwealth of Virginia's capital, Richmond. Spotsylvania was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of the Virginia colony from 1710 to 1720[1].

Spotsylvania County, Virginia Places/Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy Resources

Getting Started

If you are researching families who lived in Spotsylvania County, Virginia between the 1720s and 1740s, or Fredericksburg families between the 1780s and 1800s, the Sparacios' book indexes are a great time saver. Surname index of Antient Press publications

Fitzgerald, Ruth Coder. A Different Story: A Black History of Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Va.: Unicorn, 1979. FHL.

Haley, Alex. Roots. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1976. FHL. [Includes author's descent from Kunta Kinte, born in the spring of 1750 at Juffure, Gambia, captured and brought to the United States in 1767, and sold into slavery in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.]

Fisher, Therese. "A List of Males in the Town of Fredericksburg from the Age of 18 to 45 Years Old; 1806," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 40, No. 4 (Oct./Nov. 1996):306-308. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.

The 10,000 name petition (dated 16 October 1776) has been digitized at the Library of Congress website. It was signed by people from all over Virginia who wanted an end to persecution of Baptists by the Established Church. Baptists and Baptist sympathizers alike signed the petition. To find your ancestor in this record, first check Hall's transcription in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy (Vols. 35-38, with annotations in Vol. 39), which is available online at Ancestry ($). It is also available in book form at the Family History Library: FHL Book 975.5 B2vs v. 35-39. Then proceed to the Library of Congress website to see the original images.

Spotsylvania County fell within the bounds of the Goshen Association.

Ranck, George Washington. "The Travelling Church": An Account of the Baptist Exodus from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781 Under the Leadership of Rev. Lewis Craig and Capt. William Ellis; With Historical Notes. n.p., 1910. Digital version at Google Books.

Baptist ministers from Spotsylvania County (1767) are discussed in the Virginia Baptist Register, Issue 4 (1965).

Church of England

Lutheran

1730-1779. Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, Baptismal and Marriage, 1730-1779. Baptisms and marriages took place in Mercer County, Pennsylvania and in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Digital version: Internet Archive and PAGenWeb.

Court

District Court of Fredericksburg

The District Court of Fredericksburg and later the Superior Court of Chancery had jurisdiction over certain Spotsylvania County court cases. An index has been compiled:

Indexes of Court Records in the Clerk's Office, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1782-1904. Original records, Fredericksburg City Courthouse, Fredericksburg, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at FHL. [Indexes the following records: District Court law book v. 8, 1782-1792; District Court law books 1790-1793, v. A-F 1789-1811; Superior Court of Law law order books v. G-H 1812-1831; Superior Court of Chancery chancery order books 1814-1831; Hustings Court orders v. A-O 1782-1871; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery law order books v. A-E 1831-1875; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery chancery order books v. A-D 1831-1872; Circuit Court chancery order books v. A2, B-C 1875-1904; Fredericksburg District Court (1789-1808) had jurisdiction over the following counties: Spotsylvania (including Fredericksburg), Caroline, King George, Stafford, Orange, and Culpeper; Superior Court of Chancery (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over the following localities: city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Lancaster, Northumberland, Madison, King George, Orange, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex, and Westmoreland.]

Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Spotsylvania County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 8 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County.[11]

Land and Property

HistoryGeo.com includes a map drawn in the 1860s of Spotsylvania County labelled with landowners ($).

Deeds

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of Deed Books A-P (1722-1800).]

Local Histories

Coleman, Lee Richelieu and Frasia Davis Trice. An Economic and Social Survey of Spotsylvania County. Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia, 1934. FHL.

Felder, Paula S. Forgotten Companions: The First Settlers of Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburgh Town (with Notes on Early Land Use). Fredericksburg, Va.: Historic Publications of Fredericksburg, 1982. FHL.

Fitzgerald, Ruth Coder. A Different Story: A Black History of Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Va.: Unicorn, 1979. FHL.

Goolrick, John T. Old Homes and History Around Fredericksburg: The Northern Neck and the Southside, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties and Battle Sketches. Digital version at FamilySearch Books Online

Warner, Thomas Hoskins. History of Old Rappanhannock County, Virginia, 1656-1692: With Introduction, 1608-1656, Including the Present Counties of Essex and Richmond and Parts of Westmoreland, King George, Stafford, Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties. Tappahannock, Va.: P.P. Warner, 1965. FHL.

Ranck, George Washington. "The Travelling Church": An Account of the Baptist Exodus from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781 Under the Leadership of Rev. Lewis Craig and Capt. William Ellis; With Historical Notes. n.p., 1910. Digital version at Google Books.

Military

Colonial Militia

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes colonial militia.]

Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. FHL; digital version at Google Books. [Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch [French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War] with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Spotsylvania County, see pp. 100-101, 112.]

Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. FHL; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Spotsylvania County militia officers, soldiers, and veterans; see place name index.]

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes French and Indian War records.]

Revolutionary War

Regiments. Service men in Spotsylvania County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Spotsylvania County supplied soldiers for the:

Revolutionary Service Record of William Warren (b. 1745) of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and Orange County, North Carolina, in Milton Rubincam, Miscellaneous Wills and Genealogical Notes. 1947. FHL.

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Revolutionary records and pensioners.]

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Bookset. al. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Spotsylvania County on page 133.]

War of 1812

List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Spottsylvania County [sic], pp. 104-105. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy:

Scanned Newspapers

Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. In addition, Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in this source and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia. These newspapers are valuable resources for all regions of Virginia.

Occupations

Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. FHL. [Includes a section on Fredericksburg silversmiths.]

Officials

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Identifies Spotsylvania's sheriffs.]

Probate Records

A free index to Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy wills and administrations (1722-1800) is available at the Library of Virginia website.

Local Court

Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of Will Books A-F (1722-1800), Administration Bonds, and Guardian Bonds.]

Will of Thomas Warren of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1749, in Milton Rubincam, Miscellaneous Wills and Genealogical Notes. 1947. FHL.

Will [and Codicil] of John Waller of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1753, MSS., Library of Virginia; Copy: FHL.

Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Spotsylvania County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

[1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Spotsylvania County is included in Vol. 2.]

1722-1750, 1795-1800 - Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Marriage Licenses (1722-1750) and the Spotsylvania County Court Marriage Register (1795-1800).]

Divorce

Death

Vital Record Substitutes

The Virginia Historical Society's Marriage and Obituary Index, 1736-1820 (newspaper abstracts) is available for free online. Images of the original index cards are browseable, arranged alphabetically by surname.

Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

Family History Centers

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

↑List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883), 103-104. FHL Book 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive.

↑Morgan Edwards, Materials Towards a History of the Baptists in the Provinces of Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia (1772). Digitized by SCDL Collections - free.

↑Thomas Sanford Dunaway and Walter Jorgensen Young, An Historical Sketch of Massaponax Baptist Church of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, from 1788 to 1938: First Hundred Years, Compiled and Read at Her Centennial Celebration, September 30, 1888 (Fredericksburg, Va.: Carmichael, 1938). FHL Film 31278 Item 2.

↑Morgan Edwards, Materials Towards a History of the Baptists in the Provinces of Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia (1772). Digitized by SCDL Collections - free.